Investment not compensation required
The champion for water and sewerage customers has discovered that people who lost water supplies in Gloucestershire following the recent floods do not want compensation for the disruption they suffered. Instead they want reassurance from Severn Trent Water that it will never happen again.
Research carried out by the Consumer Council for Water found that most residents recognise that the flooding and subsequent loss of water supply to over 140,000 households was unprecedented and that Severn Trent Water worked hard on the ground to support those affected. However they felt strongly that the situation should not have happened and were angry about seemingly inadequate contingency planning by Severn Trent and the lack of defences at the Mythe treatment works.
Using evidence from the research, the Consumer Council for Water will press Severn Trent to protect Mythe, press Severn Trent and other companies to protect similar works and reassess their contingency plans, lobby Ofwat to allow for effective defences in the forthcoming review of water prices - and play a major role in the Flood Review.
Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water said: “Those people who lost their water supply following the floods suffered severe disruption; one person we spoke to said that he and his family had eventually moved out of the area to stay with his mother because they had run out of fresh water for his baby. Many also felt that the bowsers were inappropriately positioned, not kept topped up and that the communication from Severn Trent was insufficient.
“The majority are not seeking compensation. Instead, they want a clear commitment from Severn Trent that the company will invest to protect its infrastructure. Importantly, they also want to be able to see this investment – Severn Trent will need to think about the best ways to demonstrate this to its customers.”
The research findings show that customers:
• Saw no evidence of contingency planning by Severn Trent and want proof that plans are in place
• Felt that communication from Severn Trent during the period they were without water was patchy and inconsistent. For example, information regarding the location of bowsers was limited and respondents who needed special bottled water for babies did not know it existed
• Relied on word of mouth and local radio stations for information
• Were not just worried about Gloucestershire – they want all water companies to learn from this situation and take the necessary action to prevent it happening anywhere else in the country
Customers have also realised how much they rely on and value water – not just for drinking, but for sanitation and cleaning.
Dame Yve said: “Affected residents showed great resourcefulness in coping without water supply. We talked to people who cut their downpipes to collect rainwater from the guttering into dustbins or wheelie bins, others who collected water from streams or brooks. A couple of respondents said that, on a day when there was a downpour, they had rushed outside with shampoo to wash their hair in the rain.”
The Consumer Council for Water will be making the research available to Ofwat and Severn Trent Water and plans to take a full part in the government’s Flood Review, lobbying hard to ensure customers’ voices are heard.
While the independent research suggested customers did not want compensation, the Consumer Council for Water has heard directly from people whose lives were extremely disrupted by the loss of water supply.
“We suggest that Severn Trent should treat the correspondence it receives from such customers on a case by case basis and offer appropriate recompense for those in the most need,” concluded Dame Yve.
